Worries about weight, shape and eating are common, especially among young girls.
Being very overweight or obese can cause a lot of problems, particularly with health.
Quite often, someone who is overweight can lose weight simply by eating more healthily.
It sounds easy, but help may be needed to find a way of doing this.

What are eating disorders?

A lot of young people, many of whom are not overweight in the first place, want to
be thinner. They often try to lose weight by dieting or skipping meals. For some,
worries about weight become an obsession. This can turn into a serious eating disorder.
This information is about the most common eating disorders – anorexia nervosa and
bulimia nervosa.

Someone with anorexia nervosa worries all the time about being fat (even if they
are skinny) and eats very little. They lose a lot of weight and their periods become
irregular or stop

Someone with bulimia nervosa also worries a lot about weight. They alternate between
eating next to nothing, and then having binges when they gorge themselves. They vomit
or take laxatives to control their weight

Both of these eating disorders are more common in girls, but do occur in boys. They
can happen in young people of all backgrounds and cultures.

Using laxatives and vomiting to control weight or sometimes other medications / herbal
remedies to lose weight

It may be difficult for parents or teachers to tell the difference between ordinary
dieting in young people and a more serious problem. If you are concerned about your
child’s weight and how they are eating, consult your GP. You can also seek help and
advice from other agencies.

What effects can eating disorders have?

Person with this condition can have physical and emotional problems. Some of these
include:

Feeling excessively cold

Headaches and dizziness

Changes in hair and skin

Tiredness and difficulty with normal activities

Damage to health, including stunting of growth and damage to bones and internal organs

Loss of periods and risk of infertility

Anxiety and depression

Poor concentration, missing school, college or work

Lack of confidence, withdrawal from friends

Dependency or over-involvement with parents, instead of developing independence

It’s important to remember that, if allowed to continue unchecked, both anorexia
and bulimia can be life-threatening conditions. Over time, they are harder to treat,
and the effects become more serious.

What causes eating disorders?

Eating disorders are caused by a number of different things:

Worry or stress may lead to comfort eating. This may cause worries about getting
fat

Dieting and missing meals leads to craving for food, loss of control and over-eating

Anorexia or bulimia can develop as a complication of more extreme dieting, perhaps
triggered by an upsetting event, such as family break-down, death or separation in
the family, bullying at school or abuse

Sometimes, anorexia and bulimia may be a way of trying to feel in control if life
feels stressful

More ordinary events, such as the loss of a friend, a teasing remark or school exams,
may also be the trigger in a vulnerable person

Who can develop an eating disorder?

Some of the factors which increase the likelihood of having an eating disorder include:

Being female

Being previously overweight

Lacking self-esteem

Being a perfectionist

Obsessional behaviour is often seen in young people with eating disorders.

Some people are more at risk than others. Sensitive or anxious individuals, who are
having difficulty becoming independent from their families, are also more at risk.
Eating disorders can also run in families. The families of young people with eating
disorders often find change or conflict particularly difficult, and may be unusually
close or over-protective.

Where can I get help?

If you think a young person may be developing an eating disorder, don’t be afraid
to ask them if they are worried about themselves. Quite often young people with eating
disorders are unable to acknowledge there may be a problem, and will not want you
to interfere and may become angry or upset.

However, you may still be worried and you can seek advice from professionals in different
agencies e.g. your GP or a paediatrician. It is important that you feel supported
and not alone.

What can I do to help?

These simple suggestions are useful to help young people to maintain a healthy weight
and avoid eating disorders.

Ensure your child eats regular meals. The British Dietetic Association recommends
eating regularly throughout the day which usually means three main meals and three
nutritious snacks in between such as fruit, yogurt or nuts. Too many sugary or high
fat snacks should be avoided

Try to give a ‘balanced’ diet – one that contains all the types of food your body
needs, including carbohydrate foods such as bread, rice, pasta or cereals with every
meal

Don’t let them miss meals – long gaps encourage overeating

Encourage regular exercise

Educate your child not to be influenced by other people skipping meals or commenting
on weight

When professional help is needed?

When eating problems make family meals stressful, it is important to seek professional
advice. Your GP will be able to advise you about what specialist help is available
locally and will be able to arrange a referral. Help may be available through the
paediatrician, dietician or your local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
(CAMHS).

If the eating disorder causes physical ill health, it is essential to get medical
help quickly. If untreated, there is a risk of infertility, thin bones (osteoporosis),
stunted growth and even death, but if treated, most young people get better.

Useful Websites:

B-eat

The Eating Disorders Association has lots of online information and helpsheets